The course is aimed at providing students the possibility to experience some of the concepts exposed in courses concerning Medical Physics (Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Radiology). Thus the course may be interesting for students who would like to work in a Medical Physics Department. At the end of the course students will be able to: - perform and evaluate some of the main tests belonging to the quality assurance program of linear accelerators and diagnostic equipments - simulate a treatment planning of patients undergoing radiotherapy or radiometabolic treatments.
Course Prerequisites
Basic notions of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy physics. It is advisable that students have attended courses dealing with these topics.
Teaching Methods
The course includes lectures devoted to the description of the experimental measurements that students will perform on site (Radiology Dept., Nuclear Medicine Dept., Radiotherapy Dept. and Medical Physics Dept.)
Assessment Methods
Students will produce a brief report with the results of their experimental work and present it during an oral examination. Questions will be asked by the teachers on the experimental procedure. The oral examination intends to verify: - the knowledge of the procedure of the quality assurance tests on linear accelerators and diagnostic equipment - the capability to simulate a treatment planning - the use of an adequate technical language To pass the exam, the student must produce an adequate technical report (introduction, material and methods, results and discussion) for every laboratory measurements performed. To successfully pass the exam, the student must present the results of the laboratory report integrated with theory using an adequate technical language, demonstrating to be able to re-elaborate concepts and establish connection and comparisons.
Contents
INTRODUCTION A brief introduction to radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging with a focus on quality assurance tests and treatment planning, as the main topics of the course are: - Quality Control and dosimetric characterization of linear accelerators - Radiotherapy and radiometabolic treatment planning - Quality Control and dosimetric characterization of radiological equipments - Analysis of digital images LABORATORY ACTIVITIES The laboratory activities aim at: - performing part of the most significant quality assurance program both in radiotherapy and in diagnostic imaging; - simulating some radiotherapy treatment planning - simulating some radiometabolic treatment planning
